


The Call of Sea

by yasumineyams



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fantasy AU, Little Mermaid AU, M/M, merman, ponyo on the cliff AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-12 22:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7126099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yasumineyams/pseuds/yasumineyams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukishima Kei, 6 Years Old. All he wanted just show a lot of beautiful shells to his brother, Akiteru. Until the waves swept him away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have this idea for days and have no idea how to remove it from my head. I tried to asked someone to make this Au, but there was no reply (sobs). So I just write it by myself, for myself.
> 
> That's why, please don't get your hopes up (It's not too late, there are plenty more appropriate fictions around. I don't want to disappoint anyone). 
> 
> My writing skill is really bad (So does my grammar lol)

“Kei, don’t play too far okay! Be careful of the waves!” Kei’s mom yelling from the doorway. She watches her youngest son running through the stone steps to the beach which just a few meters behind their house. Little Kei yells a loud _“Yes!”_ without even stopping or looking back to his mom. He keeps running with his small green bucket on his left hand, eyes straight to the wide sea in front of him.

He stops when a small wave hit his soles softly and stand in awe to the beautiful view in front of him.

“I will get plenty of beautiful shells and surprise Aki-nii!” He says some encouraging sentences for himself and starts digging the sands, sometimes stepping into the water while still searching the shells on the white and soft sands below him.

Kei keeps filling his bucket with colorful shells until he feels have had enough the shells, sands, salty water, and sun light for the day. He raises his hands to protect his eyes from the direct light while checking the sun position which almost right above him. The right time to go home and prepare himself for lunch. Aki-nii will be home few hours after lunch and he is pretty sure will have enough time to picks the best shells for his brother.

He just going to turn back to his home when the corner of his eye catches a bright glint from the sea. The blinking shine is disappear when he give it a check, but he does not move any inches from his position and keep staring to the spot where he saw it. His patience rewards him with a sweet victory when another bright light, twinkling to him again, and before he realizes, he already steps into the water and drops his bucket with a small thud on the sands. He keeps walking, ignoring the waves that trying to push him back to the safe and soft white sands, determine to know what things that twinkling so brightly on the sea.

And it was the worst decision he ever made.

Apparently the thing he saw is not as close as he thought. He steps on the deep part of the sea and lost his balance. His body is too small and weak compared to the powerful waves that keep taking him further to the sea.

_“I didn’t even get to see what it is. I didn’t even get to show those shells to brother. I am sorry mom, I went too far...”_ Kei’s thought before he loses his conscience from the painful pressure he got on his chest.

***

Soft voices take Kei’s back to reality. He tries to snap his eyes open, pretty sure that what happened before was a dream after all and he will wake up in his soft bed and safe home. However, the bright light force him to shut his eyes back. The voices still talking... or is that singing? The sounds are beautiful, calm, and peaceful. Kei let his eyes close now. Ready to accept whatever fate he is going to face. If what happened was just a dream, he promises he will apologize to his mom who mayhaps will be downstairs preparing delicious breakfast... or lunches, for him. However, if what happened before was real, he is pretty sure he is in heaven right now, because hell can’t be this calming. The soft voices still ring melodic tunes in language he doesn't understand, and Kei starts to open his eyes slowly. He blinks several times, letting his eyes adapt to the bright surrounding around him. This is, definitely not his house.

The place is indeed, beautiful. He can see green and blue dominating the colors around him and there is a big round balloon surrounding this small island. The fishes swam freely out of that balloon’s layer and he just found out that the balloon gives out a bright shine to illuminate the land. He feels like laying in the middle of a giant aquarium. Beautiful, indeed.

... but, fishes... why there are fishes above him? Aquarium? Where is it?

The realization flooding his head, and Kei start to panic. He immediately sits up which give a short dizzy feeling in his head. That’s when the soft voices stop. The sudden quiet give him a shiver. Can’t think about anything anymore, he start to look around, hoping someone are there. He doesn't want to be alone right now, and there he is. A big and round green eyes staring back at him in wary. The little boy, who perhaps around his age, hiding behind a big rock. His hairs are deep green, just like his eyes.

They keep staring at each other and Kei know that nothing will progress if he just staring at the other boy.

“Hello.” He tries. The other boy flinches and hides further into the rock. “Uh... Please don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you.” Kei says. Trying to reassure the boy that Kei is not a harm.

There are a small nod and the other boy head pop up from behind the rock, showing the whole of his face, instead just half of his head.

“Uh... do you know where are we?” Kei asks him softly. Trying hard to pick his words carefully despite the panic feeling he has on his chest.

The other boy gives him another small nod and a little smile. His eyes bright with excitement.

“Can you tell... uh... no, I mean, will you come closer to me? Or can I walk closer to you? This distance is a little bit difficult for conversation.” Kei says. Trying hard to give his best smile to the other boy.

There’s hesitation on his face, but he finally says, “c’mere”

Kei does not waste his time he immediately stands and feels that the ground under his soles is really soft. He walks faster but careful and stops just near the rock. Hoping the other boy will cut the distance between them and lucky him. That green-haired boy showing all of himself and scoot closer. However, he is not walking. But, dragging... his tail.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa... I still can't believe there are people who read this fic.. Hahahaa, thanks ^^
> 
> BTW, the rule is still the same. **don't get your hopes up** I am not a good writer.

Kei stares at the boy in front of him. He sits on the ground. His emerald tail-legs folded in two and there are some pearls decorating his hips just like a belt. Kei eyes climb up to his face, the boy expression goes dejected. His smile faltered and his freckled-face goes pale. He starts dragging his body away in a hurry and that’s when Kei catch his conscience back.

“Wait! Don’t go!” He yells and runs to stand in front of the little merman. “Please don’t go...” Kei quietly pleads to him. The little merman looking up at him, and nods.

Kei scrunch down and kneel in front of him.

“Weren’t you scared?” The little merman asks Kei softly. His voices so small and quite, almost sounds like a whisper in Kei ears.

“I was surprised. I wasn’t scared. This is the first time I meet a merman, people said you are just a fantasy.” Kei answers. He finally settles to sit because the soft ground felt weird on his knees. “My name is Tsukishima Kei. What is yours?”

The excited light on the little merman eyes is back, and a small smile decorating his features. “My name is Yamaguchi Tadashi! Can I call you _Tsukki_?”

Kei is speechless; first, because this is the first nickname he ever has and second, because how could a quite and shy little boy become really chirpy just in few seconds?!

“I... can’t?” Yamaguchi asks him. He looks dejected, _again._

“Sure, you can call me that. I don’t mind. So... Yamaguchi, is it?” Kei responds politely. Yamaguchi gives him excited nods and grins widely. Kei can’t help but snort at his new expressive ally. “So, can you tell me where we are? And how did I get here?”

Yamaguchi nods again.

“I was swimming when I find you drown. At least I know that was bad because my mom told me that human can’t breaths on the water. So I made a magical balloon and pull you to this place. When we arrived, you still won’t open your eyes, so I tried to recite some spells and the water started coming out of your mouth, but you still not wake up, so I keep trying and you suddenly get up. That scared me, Tsukki!.”

That explains the sudden quiet environment he got when he wake up.

“I see. Thank you for saving me, Yamaguchi. So, are we deep in the sea?” Kei asks. His mind wanders to his mom, dad, and brother who perhaps are worry-sick looking for him.

Yamaguchi nods again. “We are really deep in the sea. Your lung would be crunched if I didn’t make the balloon. That was dangerous, Tsukki. Why were you swimming that far?”

Yamaguchi scoot closer to Kei and looking at him curiously. It makes Kei feel at ease. Normally, he will hate people staying that close to him, but somehow he didn’t feel annoyed at all. Rather feeling calm when he feels Yamaguchi existence being near to him.

“But, my healing spell is not really good. I called my uncle to come and check on you, he will be here anytime soon!” Yamaguchi adds before Kei even get a chance to answer. That’s good because he doesn't really know what to say, _I went into the sea because of a stupid sparkle picked my interest. Then I drowned._ Nah... that’s so not cool.

Yamaguchi keeps looking at him as if expecting something. A wide smile do not falter from his face and Kei is confused, he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't even want to say anything. However, it’s a real merman in front of him, he is not dreaming, and he is deep in the water and still alive! “Well, thanks again, I guess.”

The little merman wide smile, turn into a bright grin. The shy and quiet boy he saw few moments ago totally gone right now.

Kei ignores that and chooses to look around his surrounding for a better view. The land is wide. There are no such things like tree, just weird grass that looks more like green alga rather than ordinary grass he always sees up there. There are some corals around them, the small amount of sands peeking between the grass-alga (Kei couldn’t decide what are they), beautiful shells scattered around and sometimes there are various sizes of hermit crabs stepping around the sands below the long grass-alga.

“Do you like this place?” Yamaguchi soft voices take him back.

Kei nods. “This place is beautiful. Did you make them?”

Yamaguchi’s bright features get even brighter and he puffs his chest proudly. “Yes! My mom teach me how to use magic, including making this place! This is my hidden-camp! Even Shouyo and Tobio are not allowed to be here! You are the first person I ever invite to this place, Tsukki!” He grinned proudly, however, his grin falter in the next second, “however uncle Suga will get into this place soon.” He adds, sounds unhappy.

“I am fine now. So you don’t have to invite him.” Kei says.

The little merman in front of him just shakes his head. He bit his lower lip and pull his tails to fold it in front of his chest and hug them. Kei holds the urge to touch that emerald tails.

“You need that. I will make him an exception, can’t let my new friend got hurt because of the sea.” He smiles to Kei who gapping to the _friend_ words that slip smoothly from Yamaguchi’s lips.

Kei looking down to his tails. The scales looks slick and make the tails goes sparkling, there are a lot of small freckles scatter on his human skins and those faint gills below his ears definitely explains that this beautiful creature in front of him aren’t a human. He can’t imagine having merman as a friend, but Yamaguchi is nice, even human can’t make him feel this comfortable before.

“Tsukki?” Yamaguchi calls out to him and Kei raises his eyes to see his new _friend_ face. “What are you thinking about?”

“I was considering you as a friend. I think that was not sounds bad at all. So I will be your friend.” Kei replies honestly.

Yamaguchi suddenly goes quiet and burst in a lung-full laugh in the next moment. Kei just watching him quietly.

“Tsukki is funny!” he says between giggles.

They go in a comfortable silent. Yamaguchi seems contain to just sitting there. Smiling and looking at the brontosaurus image on Kei shirt, but Kei had had enough with the quiet. He wants to be distracted, he is panic, he is worry, he know her mom must be looking for him frantically, he needs to be distracted for now.

Kei just wanted to start a topic (and ask if there are a way for him to go home) when Tadashi flick his head and look up. Kei follows his eyes direction and saw a silver merman swimming back and forth. A black one following behind him.

“Why Uncle Suga brought Daichi-san? He will scold me.” Yamaguchi mumble a whine and looking back at Kei, “Tsukki, I am going to let them in, wait a minute, okay!” He says before push his body up and swimming up to get their guest.

 _But there is no water here. How did he swim?_ Kei thought. That’s when he realize some bubbles flying around them. This place is weird.

He looking up again and saw three figures of merman swim closer to him. He starts to feel uncomfortable. They stop right in front of him with a surprised look.

“Tadashi, you know we are not allowed to bring human in.” The grey-haired merman with silver and dark blue pattern say to Tadashi.

“But, I can’t let him drown in the sea, uncle,” Tadashi replies. “...and he is my friend now, so can you please check on him?”

Kei just watching how Yamaguchi pleading and swimming round and round around his uncle. This boy is spoiled, and Kei tries his best to hold back a snort.

The black-tail and hairs merman shake his head. Disagree with what Yamaguchi’s done. “Young prince, you need to learn to obey the rules, especially since this is your own mom who made the rules. We will not...”

“Okay, I will check on him.” Cut the silver merman. His features are calm, yet Kei got a feeling that this man is much more dangerous than the black merman beside him.

“Suga, you are too soft on him.” Complained the black merman.

“Didn’t you? Come on, Daichi. It will be fine. I will leave Tadashi with you.” He says smiling to his companion. “and you, stay here with me.” He adds while looking at Kei.

Yamaguchi visibly flinches. He peeks at the black merman and gives a disapproval look to his uncle, “Uncle Suga...”

“No, Tadashi. You go over there and enjoy Daichi’s preaching.” He answers and gives a _do it or I will ignore your wish_ look to Tadashi. “Right now.”

Yamaguchi hung down his head and follow the black merman to big corals on the other side of the land.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say Hi to Suga and Daichi, BTW, dark angel Suga is my HC, that's why I make him a little bit evil :)  
> Thanks for the bookmarks, Kudos, and comments (Thank TheAO3DreamWalker! I hope this chapter do not disappoint you ^^)

The silver merman looking at him and smile softly. A shells crown put elegantly in his head, and just like Tadashi, he has pearls-belt hung loosely on his hips. His face features are soft, charming and beautiful. However, Kei keeps remind himself to not trust that smile of his.

The merman land softly and sits in front of Kei. He repositions his tail to make it comfortable and give his full attention back to Kei.

“Hello~” He sing-song still smile charmingly. “Shall we begin?”

Kei shakes his head. “You don’t have to check on me. I am fine, I didn’t hurt at all.” _So, please just send me back to my home right away._

Suga sighs and pretends a disappointed look to Kei, “Too bad, kid. I can’t do that. Tadashi seems to put a liking to you, which is rare. So I need to give a proper check on you.”

Kei frown at him. _This is not your business, old man. Actually, he prefers you are not here. This is his secret place! He healed me already! So stop forcing me!_ Kei shakes his head again.

“Lay down. Right now.” Suga’s face become really stern now. “and I don’t want to see you shakes that head again. You are 7.000 m under the sea level, it’s impossible for a weak human, especially a little boy like you to be okay. Now, lay down.”

Kei frown, but do what Suga told. He lay on the soft grass-alga and hope the check up will finish as soon as possible, so he can get Yamaguchi back. That little merman makes him feel more comfortable than this one.

“I will not hurt you, just trust me, okay. Close your eyes.” Suga face goes soft again, and Kei follows his instruction.

He feels a soft touch on his forehead and Suga start chanting a language he doesn't understand, which is sound like he singing a lullaby rather than trying to heal him. Suga adds and reduces the pressure of his hands. He then slowly moves downwards to Kei eyes, noses, lips, neck, a long pressure on the chest, ticklish massage on his belly until he reaches the toes. It feels so good Kei almost fall in sleep.

“See, it’s not hurt at all, and I don’t take forever, do I? Now, sit down, you can open your eyes.”

Kei opens his eyes slowly and gets up. He sits facing Suga, waiting for whatever the older merman want to say since he looks like want to say something.

But he doesn't. He just looking at Kei and smile softly, now Kei sees no harm in his smile.

“I told you, I am okay.” _Now call Yamaguchi’s back, old man_.

“Too bad, you are not and stop calling me old man. I can read your mind. Daichi can take hours to preach so just enjoy your time with me.” The merman smiles playfully to Kei and starts playing with his shell bracelet.  

Kei is dumbfounded. His eyes go wide because of the shock. “You... you can read people mind?”

Suga tilt his head a little, “Tadashi didn’t tell you about some mermaids and merman have a special ability?”

Kei shakes his head slowly. He turns his head to Yamaguchi and Daichi direction, “It means, he also can hear what I said on my head?” he asks still looking at Yamaguchi.

“Uh... I don’t think so. So far, I am the only merman who can read people mind. My ability is healing and air-reading. The healing came from practices tho~”

Kei just looking at this silver merman who even his giggles are charming. _So you hear whatever I said before, old man?_

“Yes I did, and I told you to stop with the _old man_ if you don’t want to see me kicking a certain blond-brat out of that layer. Because I can see the pressure crushing you in pieces.”

Kei flinches. This merman is scary, just like his mom when upset. “Understood. I apologize.”

“Nice, I love obedient kids~” Suga chime in and take a look at Daichi and Yamaguchi who are also looking back at him. “That man over there, he can do telepathy, and he is a natural leader, charming, eh?” He says at the black merman who immediately look away. “and do you want to know our little prince ability?”

Kei didn’t answer, only looking back at the silver merman quietly.

“Fine, I won’t tell you if you don’t want to know.” He replies playfully.

Kei face goes in few shades of pink and frown due to shame. “You are a bad adult. You knew I want to know.”

“You didn’t say anything, tho~” he laughs and messes Kei blond hair. “He can talk with the ocean. He can calm the seas rage and he gives people _this_ comfortable feeling”

Kei flips his gaze to Tadashi who seems like trying to apologize to the black merman. _Is that how he find me? The ocean told him._

“Yes, you are pretty smart,” Suga responds mindlessly.

“Stop reading my mind! It’s disturbing!” Kei shouts at Suga who giggles again.

“It’s not like I can do anything about that. By the way, you can call me Suga. Now, tell me your name.”

“Tsukishima Kei.” Kei replies nonchalantly.

“Tsukishima, hm... You can’t go home anytime soon. Sorry. I heard you think about going home as soon as possible before, however, you can’t. I am sorry.” Suga smiles sadly now. “I know you want to see your parents, but it’s impossible for now.”

Kei face hardened. “Why? You can put me on a bubble like how Yamaguchi did and bring me to the surface.”

Suga shakes his head slowly and bites his lower lips. “Can’t do. Actually, I’d like to do that, however seeing how attached he is to you, I can’t let it happen. It’s risky.”

“You won’t let me home because he is attached to me?”

“I won’t let you going home because it will kill you.” Suga replies seriously. “Listen. I know you are a smart kid, so this will be easy. Like I told you before, we are 7000 m under sea level. Even sunshine can’t reach this area. You can see the light because Tadashi set the layer to show an illusion of brightness. The water pressure and the air are tight in here, try to step out that layer and you will be crushed immediately, that’s the first point. Do you understand this much?”

Tsukishima nods.

“Great. The second point is, no matter how talented he is, Tadashi still just a kid. His magic is not strong and really far from perfect. Of course, it’s impressive to see him doing this much. However, the balloon he made would never able to protect you perfectly because it was really weak. If this place 500 or 1000 meters deeper than this, you will dead. Your lung is damaged now. You didn’t feel any pain because the healing spells he gave to you made you numb to pain. Try to pinch yourself.”

Kei looking at Suga suspiciously and give a hard pinch to his arm. But he feels nothing, it’s nothing but ticklish. As if someone touch his arm softly.

“So, I will never able to go home?”.

The images of his mother, father, and brother looking for him frantically are really vivid in his head. _They will be worry, My mom will cry..._

“I am not saying you will be trapped here forever. However, it takes the time to recover your lung to normal. I am pretty sure the sea goddess has been known about your coming, so let’s think about how to inform your mom later. Take it easy okay? I will call Tadashi back.” Suga pats Kei’s head again and smiles fondly. “By the way, I was planned to let you go to the surface right away. Having you crunched by the sea is an easy way to get out of this matter, however, look at how fond he is to you. I can’t break our little angel heart, can I?” He adds, still giving his most beautiful smile to Kei.

Kei clenched his palms. _This old man is dangerous, indeed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio and Shouyou will appear in chapter 4 or 5. I hope I can slip Kuroo and Kenma at some point. x)
> 
> btw, I planned to give a daily update for this fic. However, because I have an important presentation on Saturday, I will skip friday update. If I still have enough strength to type the continuation after the presentation, I will update it on Saturday. If not, I will do it on sunday~  
> Thanks again for reading this ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for those who give it a try. :)


End file.
